The Londonderry sifter. (South Londonderry, Vt.) 1883-19??, 1887-09-29
TALMAGES SERMON
The Weekly Discourse Of the Great
Brooklyn Preacher
subject, ''The Prime Minister"

See, Ihare set thse orsraH the land Of Eyyp.."
-Genesi Nli,, A.
You cannot keep good man down. God
has decreed for him a certain elevation to
which he must attain. He will bring him
through taoJgh it cost Him thou
sand worlds. There are men constantly in
trouble lest they shall not be appreciated.
Every man cones in the end 10 be valued at
just what he is worth, How often you see
men turn out all their forces to crush
one man or set OF men. How do they
succesdt No better than did the govern
ment that tried 10 crush Joseph, Scripture
character upon which we speak to-day, 1t
would be an insult to suppose that you were
not all familiar with the life OF Joseph; how
his jealous brothers threw him into the pit,
but seeing caravan of Arabian merchants
moving along on their camels with spices and
gums, that loaded the air with aroma, sod
their brother to these merchants, who carried
him down into Egypt; how Joseph was soli
to Potiphar, a man OF influence and Office; how
by his integrity he raised himself to high posi-
tion in the realm, until under the false charge
of n vile wretch he was hurled into the pen-
Tertiary; how in prison he commanded re-
spect AMI confidence how by the interpreta-
ton of Paraohs dream he was freed and be-
came the chief man in government, the Bis
marck of the nation; how in time of famine
Joseph had the control of storehouse
which he had filled during the seven
years of plenty; how when his brothers who
had thrown him into the pit and sold him into
captivity app lie Tor corn he mt them no ne
with tueir beasts borne down under the
heft Of the corn sacks; how the sin against
their brother which had so long been hidden
came out at last and was returned by That
brothers forgiveness and kindness, an il
lustrious triumph of Christian principle.
Learn from this story in the first Place,
that the world is compelled to honor Christian
character. Potiphar was only man OF the
world yet Joso Oh rose in hi eitmaGi IN unil
all the aft ATS of that great house were COM
mitted TO his charge. From this servant no
hoaors or condolences were with iell. When
joseph was IMP ison he soon won the heart
of the keeper, and, tho Ugh placed
there for being scoundrel, he soon
convinced the jailer that he was an in
noe mt man, a I'd, released from close conine.
ment, he became general super ntendeht
of prisoa affairs. Wherever Joseph was
placed, whether a servant in the house of
Potiphar or prisoner in the penitent:ary,h he
became the first man everywhere I'd Is an
illustration of the truth lay d )wn, that tle
world is compelled to honor Christian char
actor.
I here are those who affect to despsc re-
Ggious fe. They speak OF it as a system OF
phlebotony by which a man Is bed OF al his
courage and nobility. They say he has be-
meaned himself. They pretend to have no
moro confidence in him since his conversion
than before his conversion. But all that is
hypo rsy. 1t is impossible for any man
not to admire and confde in a Chris
tian who shows that he has really become
child of God and is what he prof sSas to be.
You cannot despiSe son or a daughter of
the Lord Col Almighty. OF course half and
half religious character wins no appro5a-
ton. Redwald, the King Of the Saxons, after
Christian baptism hal two altlrs, one for
the worship of God AMI the other for the
sacrifice Of devils. You may have a contempt
for such men, for mere pretensions of
MI " IahOl1 ha ay
of Jesus Christ come out in the life of one OF
his disciples, all That there is good an noble
in your soul rises up into admiration
Thou III that Christian be as far beneath
you in estate as the Egyptian save of whom
We are discussing, by an irrevo2able
law OF our nature Potiphar and Pharaoh
will always esteem Joseph. Chrys ostom
when threatened with death by Eudoxia, the
Empress, sent word to her saying: go tell
her that | fear nothing bat sn." Such no.
bility of charae will always be appauded.
There was something in Agrippa and Felix
which demanded their respect for Paul, the
retel aga nst government l doubt not they
would will ng y have yiellei their Office and
dignity for the thonsandth part of that
true hero SIN which beaned in the
eye and he It in the heart Of the unconquer-
able apostle. Th9 infdel and wording are
compelled to honor in their hearts, though
they may not Gu lie with their lips, u
CHRISTIAN hTm III persecution, cheerful in
poverty, trustful in losses, triumphant in
DEATH | find Christian men in all professions
and occupations, and | find them respected,
and honored, and successful. John Frederick
Dberlln alternating ignorance and distress,
John Howard passing from dungeon to laz-
arctic with healing for the body and the soul.
Elizabeth Frye coming to the proaigate of
New2ate prison to shake down their obdu-
racy as the angel came to the prison at Phil
lupi, driving open tho doors and snap
ping locks and Oh inns, as well as
the lives of thousands Of the follow
ers of Jesus who have devoted them
selves to the temporal and spiritual
welfare of tine race, are monuments Of the
Christian religion that Shall not crumble
while the word lasts. A man in the cars
said: Il woull like 10 become Girls ian if
l on y knew what re gio1 is. But if this
lying and cheating and Dad behavior among
want none of it. Lut, my friends, if | am
an artist in home and a man c m IS to me and
asks what the art of p hitting is l must not
show him the daub o. some mere pretender
1 will take him to tho Raph1els and ha
Lc1chael Angeles. 1t is most uncG.r aa1 ca
Ionest to take the ignominious failures in
Chr.s Stan profess on instead of the glorious
successes The Bible and the church are great
picture galleries fillel with masterpieces.
Furthermore, we learn from this story OF
Joseph that the result of persecution is eleva
ton. Had it not been for his being sold into
an his false Imprisonment, Joseph would
mover have become Prime Minister. Every.
body accepts the promise Blessed
are they that are prosecuted for right
eousness sake for theirs is the
kingdom of heaven" but they do
not realize the fact that this principle APP
plles to worldly as well as spiritual success.
Had it not been for Eschncs who brought
impeachment against Demosthenes, the i'm
mortal Grafton De Corona, would never have
do Ix-nr Mo-, ,s-.l,, Il
position through Misrepresentation and the
ass lut OF the public. Public abuse is all that
some OF our public men have had
to rely uron for their elevation. 1t
has brought to them what talent AMI
executive force could never have achieved
Many of those who are making great effort
Tor place and power viii never succeed just
because they are not Of enough Importance
to be abused. 1t is the nature of man to
gather about those who are prosecuted and
defend tlem and they are apt to forget the
tau!tS OF tnoSs who are the subjects OF at
tack while attempting to drive back the
sanderers. Helen Stirk a Scotch martyr
condemned with her husband to death for
Christs sake, said to her husband Rejoice
we have lived together many joyful days, but
this day wherein we must die together ought
to be most joyful to us both. Therefore
will not bid you goo night, for soon We shall
meet in the heavenly kingdom" By the fash
OF the furnace best Carlstian character Is
demonstrated.
l go into another department, anil | fine
that thos1 great denominations of Christians
which have been most abused have spfeaJ
the most rapidly. No good man was evel
more Wiley matreatei than John Wesley
His followers were hooted at and maligned
AMI called by every detestabls name that i'll
fernal ingenuity could invent, but the hottel
the persecution the more rapid the spread oil
that denomination, until you know what {
great host they have become AMI what tire
men ious force for God and truth they are
welding all the world over 1t was persecu
ton that gave Scotland to Presbyteriansm
1t was perss cuton which gave our own laii6
first to civil liberty and afterWar1 U
religious freedom. Yea, / may go furthe
back and say 1t was persecution that gave IN
world the salvation of the Gospel. The ribal'
mo kerry, the hungerinS and tblrstllS the un
iusttria and lgnJminious death where all tn
forces OF hell Is tdrywa; hurled against the eros
was the intro lucton OF t1a5 r.ilsiol whlc.
is yet to be the earths deliverance from gun
and suffering and her everlasting enthron'
ment among the princpalltles OF HEAVIER